1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an adjustable orientation device for a baby bottle used for feeding an infant as well as others who may require feeding by means of a bottle containing nutriments.
More particularly, the invention is concerned with the adjustable orientation device which serves as an accessory or attachment for a feeding device to provide for the freedom to position a self-contained feeder in various different positions together with the capability of locking the adjustable orientation device into different positions. The adjustable orientation device is used to connect a conventional baby bottle to a conventional nipple.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various attempts have been made heretofore to provide for a baby bottle nurser which is adapted to move with the baby movements of an infant while nursing. When an infant is nursed artificially, different types of infant positions are attempted to be achieved to provide comfort as well as to simulate as closely as possible the nursing activity of an infant as if it were nursing from its mother's breast. Heretofore, attempts have been made, but the prior art attempts generally result in a closure or curtailment of the flow of the liquid because of a constriction of the liquid flow path.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,556 to Lawrence discloses a baby bottle having a bellows which is bendable and capable of being loaded into place either on one side position or in a compressed position of the bellows.
This disclosure provides for what appears to be a bellows-type construction in which the individual bellows members each comprise first and second interconnected members. The size and slope of each of the first and second interconnected members are different from each other. The interconnection element connecting the first and second members is of a different size from the first and second interconnected members, and has a thickness less than the thickness of the two differently sloping members. The steeper and shorter slope member locks beneath the gentle and longer sloping member.
Klag, U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,174 is concerned with an infant feeding bottle having a rubber or plastic nipple which is provided with a flexible positioner located between the nipple portion and the bottle itself. While the nipple is provided with corrugations to provide for flexibility, it is well known that the nipple portion is the weakest link of the baby nurser and requires frequent replacement due to its loss of flexibility and thereby resulting in a collapsing of the nipple. Also, the requirements of the flexible corrugated portion is different from that of the nipple portion and, therefore, requiring excessive costly nipples. The Klag nipple requires different types of material density so that the cost of manufacture is thereby increased.
Kesselring, U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,398, is concerned with a nipple which has an accordion-like wall portion which has a zig-zag shaped profile.
Pancoast, U.S. Pat. No. 2,709,434, discloses a nipple which has areas of weakness to bend out of vertical alignment. The areas of weakness eventually results in failure of the nipple due to the area of weakness.
Crisp, U.S. Pat. No. 2,812,764, discloses a nipple which is permanently set at an angles displaced from the longitudinal axes of the bottle.